microUSB Takes One Step Closer To Becoming The Standard Port For Apple, Nokia, RIM, Motorola, Samsung, and More

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Slowly but surely, microUSB is winning the battle against the dozens of different types of chargers floating around in sock drawers and land fills everywhere.

Back in 2009, the GSMA announced that it had persuaded a bunch of European manufacturers to switch to microUSB as a standard by 2012. Shortly thereafter, other major industry groups pledged their allegiance and started pushing manufacturers toward the standard.

Today, all these efforts have reached a tipping point; the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission. Tired of acronyms yet?) has announced that it has published their first version of the papers outlining microUSB as a standard, and some mighty big players have jumped on board. Apple, Nokia, RIM, LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, and Alcatel — many of whom are already using microUSB in a number of their devices — have all signed a Memorandum of Understanding (essentially a non-legally-binding promise. Sort of like pinky swearing, but on paper) indicating their intent to adopt the standard.

So, what do you think: might the next iPhone really rock the microUSB port?